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THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN WASHINGTON STATE
VOLUME 31 Issue 2 – Summer 2018
The Pilgrims’ Clothing
A Colorful Story
washingtonmayflower.org
by Peggy Marsh, Oregon Mayflower Society
When most people think of the Pilgrims, they picture men and women in black clothing, white collars and buckles on their hats and shoes! Darker colored cloth-ing may have been worn by some for Sunday services, but the Pilgrims actually wore a variety of cheerful colors every day.
Their sturdy handmade leather shoes were called latch-ets. Latchets had leather straps used to tie the shoes onto the feet. The shoe maker, called a cobbler, made them by using only one pattern to fit both feet; there was neither a left nor a right shoe! The hobnails on the soles of the shoes helped make them last longer . . . they did not have buckles!
Pilgrim history in Plymouth was recorded by William Bradford and Edward Winslow. Having these records has revealed a lot about the Pilgrims’ belongings, as well their dress.
The items were recorded so that his or her property could be listed in their wills, which was done to verify what the person owned. In describing their clothing, the owners usually detailed the colors. For instance:
Stephen Hopkins left: “…two paire of shooes … 2 Ruffe … a moheire (mohair is a type of wool), petticote, a petticote of philip & cheny (a *worsted material), a grogorum (Grogorum is a silk or worsted mohair cloth, often stiffened with gum) coate.” *the name “worsted” is named after Worstead, a village in England.
Evergreen Log Editor - Catherine Roberti
2The Pilgrims’ Clothing Continued
William Bradford’s estate included: “… a stuffe suite with silver buttons & a Coate, a Cloth Cloake faced with Taffety (silk or silk and cotton cloth, often in bright col-ors) … a sad (deep red) collered Cloth Suite … a Turkey (red) Grogorum suite () and cloake, a paire of blacke briches … an old green goune, a light Cullered Cloth Cloake, an old violet Collered Cloake”.
Skirts were called petticoats by the Pilgrims. They would wear one or more of them, depending upon the chill of the Plymouth day. The petticoats were probably made from various fabrics including, “Fustian”, a type of linen and cotton, or a fabric named “Stuff”, which was a common type of wool. It is said that the wool petticoats would not burn as quickly if accidentally brushed too close to the open fire.
The women and girls topped their outfits with vests called waistcoats. Their waistcoats had sleeves which tied onto the jacket. The collared shift also provided a decorative look to the waistcoat.
Pilgrim men wore a jacked called a doublet, a close-fit-ting, long sleeved jacket with broad shoulders, which buttoned down the front. Since there were no belt loops then, men and boys attached their doublet to their pants with ties. The doublet and front-buttoning pants, called breeches, were also worn over their shifts! The collar would protect their necks from debris or from the sun. A knit cap was one of the two hats typically worn.
Men, women, and children wore stockings which were knee-length, made of wool and were tied under the knees with ribbons or knitted strips called garters.
Shifts were used as nightgowns and also worn under their clothing. Men and women wore the linen undergarments, and the children did as well. Until children were the age of seven, both boys and girls wore only shifts. When they reached seven years, they wore clothing that was more like what the adults wore. The men and boys wore knitted caps of wool yarn.
These caps helped to keep them warm and their hair clean when they were busy working or hunting. The women and girls wore a linen covering on their hair called a coif, which is pronounced koif. Their brimmed hats were made of beaver pelts. Beaver pelts were a very important source of trade with the Native Americans. The beaver fur was processed into felt to make these hats. It is possible that London hat maker, Pilgrim Degory Priest made a few.
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The Washington Mayflower Society donates to the Seattle Public Library in memoriam of deceased members. These funds are intended to be used for books and materials in the Genealogy Collection.
Plymouth 1620
Latchet pattern for 17th century shoes
While living in Holland between 1608 and 1620, the Pilgrims were influenced by the colors of the Dutch fab-rics. They became interested in the weaving and making of fabrics and the use of colors. Textiles became a way for the Pilgrims to support themselves while living in Holland. Edward Tilley was a cloth-maker, John Tilley was a silk worker, Francis Cooke and William White were wool combers or carders.
The colorful fabrics were dyed using plants, leaves, ber-ries, roots, barks and nutshells. The color yellow could be obtained from the leaves and stems of the weld plant. A bright orange could be achieved by using saffron. Red could be extracted from the roots of the madder plant, and a rich blue was the result of using the leaves of woad plant. Brown and black dyes could be obtained from the bark of the alder tree, while tans and browns could be obtained from the bark of the oak tree. Some insects were used for natural dyes as well as the tobac-co plant! Some plants have been used for thousands of years and are used today.
If the bark is dyed for weeks (or even months) it will produce colors ranging from brown to orange.
JOIN YOUR COUSINS!2018 Summer Picnic
Sunday, July 22nd Kelsey Creek Farm ParkOur special program is
The Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution Fife & Drum Corps
Reservations are due by July 16th
See page 9 for details.
4Governor’s MessageIt’s Memorial Day weekend and I’m sitting in my back yard on the park bench that once belonged to my mother, while our dog, Jezzie, sleeps at my feet dreaming of dog adventures, I’m most certain. Two monarch butterflies dance among the gardens: One, an herb garden, bears a marker ‘1692’ in honor of my 9th gr grandmothers, Rebecca Nurse and Susannah Martin, both hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. The other, blooming with white roses, foxgloves, hostas and coral-bells, honors my ancestors who signed the Magna Charta. The royal ‘standard’ flies gracefully over the flowerbed.
Growing up, Memorial Day was a time for honoring the past – those who served our country, as well as those who had ‘gone before.’ Those last weeks of May would find my mother chauffeuring her parents to local cemeteries, tending the graves of their parents, grandparents, and even gr. grandparents. The dead were made ‘alive’ through long treasured stories shared while tending their graves. Stories of love, loss, and sacrifice instructed me early on of life’s ‘grit’, as well as the traits of the souls that formed the bedrock of the life I had inherited.
As a genealogist, the dead are never far. Like a ‘cloud of witnesses,’ they inform me about the world around me. I find myself trying to understand my ancestors’ lives, as if I were searching for the words of a long-forgotten song. As Society members, history is alive to us in our present, not merely as pages from the past, but as the lives of our foremothers & forefathers. Those of us who were able to attend the Annual Meeting heard from the Governor General the efforts to preserve the Meetinghouse in Plymouth for future generations. The Meetinghouse is the spiritual bedrock of our nation. Tangible evidence of both the Pilgrims’ journey itself, and the writing of the Compact religious freedom and a
‘civil body politic’ held together these last four centuries by stone and mortar.
We have the opportunity to preserve that monument for future generations, continuing to tell the stories of a group of Saints and Sinners, on a less than ideal vessel, who sailed across the Atlantic following their principles and ideals to establish a new colony.
Like those two butterflies dancing among the flowers, we move between the stories of our past – our own past, and that of our ancestors. Stories that remind us of the life we have lived, as well as those whose lives shaped our own through their fervent beliefs and democratic ideals, forged through blood, sweat, and tears.
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New MembersWelcome Aboard!
Washington SocietyBoard Members
Congratulations on tracing your family’s history to a 1620 passenger of the ship Mayflower emigrants from England and Holland, Signers of America’s first self-governance agreement (the Mayflower Compact) and present at America’s first Thanksgiving!
Supplemental Applications:Loren Kohler – James Chilton, 13
CityDallas, TXPuyallupSeattleUniversity PlaceUniversity PlaceBellevueUniversity Place
NameJoy BensonMelissa WilsonSarah TreworgyChristine BassettJonathan BassettAngela SheffieldDiane Wolford
AncestorFrancis Cook 11Elizabeth Fisher 12Stephen Hopkins 11Constance Hopkins 11Constance Hopkins 10William White 11Constance Hopkins 11
WA#1788178917901791179217931794
Junior Members Welcome: Wesley David & Amy WillmerGrandchildren of Wes Willmer
Junior members annually receive a birthday card through their 18th birthday. A great gift for newborns and juniors, both in and out-of-state. Contact the Assistant Historian to request application forms and to change a mailing addresses for your Junior [email protected]
Governor – Bruce D. Harrington [email protected] Governor – Jocelyn Paulson [email protected] Secretary – Marilynn Sabo [email protected] Secretary – Luanne Green [email protected] – Martha Music [email protected] – Jerri McCoy [email protected] Historian – Katherine Gaffney [email protected] – Carol Jean Gaffney [email protected] – Jeffry Doughty [email protected]
Assistants:Mark Hines, LakewoodDorothy Hull, University PlaceCheryl Eastwood, RedmondKathy Quickstad, Sammamish
David Raese, MukilteoJane Ritchey, Kitsap County
Lynn Pittier, BurienCatherine Roberti, Seattle
General Society OfficersDeputy Governor General (DGG) – Judy Arnold
Assistant General (AG) – Jocelyn Paulson
Immediate Past GovernorJudith A. Arnold
6Board & Committee Members Needed!
Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Washington has a facebook page!
Bylaws amendment vote needed at Annual Picnic
Check it out! Post, add a photo, visit often for lots of interesting information and keep up to date on the happenings of your cousins! Kathleen Quickstad is our go-to person on the Board of Assistants. She’s posted lots of photos of our activities!
Volunteer Today!
Throughout the life of a Board such as ours, vacancies occur and opportunities arise that need to be filled. We are a volunteer organization. We have families, jobs and lives that keep us busy. It is easy to assume that someone else will step in & batten down the hatches, or-to raise the sails … but in a small organization such as ours every man, woman and child counts. The Society needs all hands-on deck to help keep our Society moving forward. Please consider joining the Board, or volunteering for one of our committees. It is a great opportunity to get to know your cousins and learn about the Society. Consider volunteering for the Education Committee, or the Publication Committee? Or representing the Society at a GSMD National Meeting? Are you computer savvy? Well organized? Enjoy reading & writing? We are presently looking for someone to be our Evergreen Log editor – it might be you? If you are interested, please email [email protected].
At the April 21st Board of Assistants meeting, it was voted to propose a change in our bylaws that will need approval by a vote of the members present at the July Picnic. The motion was made to change the final date for payment of membership dues to December 15th (a change from the current due date of January 15th). This decision was made because the amount our Society is annually charged by the GSMD, for the coming year, is based upon the number of Washington Society members it has on Dec 31st of the previous year.
This change is necessary, as the Washington Society has paid GSMD fees for members who fail to pay their dues to our Society, resulting in a loss of revenues. At the time of writing this article, 35 members have failed to pay their dues for 2018, at a cost of $525 to our Society. The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to the Society to be prudent with our funds. We hope that this change will help rectify this situation.
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New! Washington Mayflower Society Shop!
There has never been a better time to be a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS)! With a growing collection of 1.4 BILLION names on AmericanAncestors.org, original scholarship, and unique educational resources, NEHGS has the tools and expertise you need to uncover your family’s unique story.
The General Society of Mayflower Descendants is pleased to partner with NEHGS to offer you a special discounted rate of NEHGS membership. If you are joining NEHGS for the first time, you will also receive a free, 15-minute consultation with a genealogist to help you get started.
Royal blue with black contrast professionally embroidered white Mayflower logo. Two end pockets and zip closure. 300 denier polyester canvas body, 600 denier polyester canvas bottom. Reinforced over the shoulder length handles. 14” h x 13” w x 6.5”d. Only $26
Royal black and navy with white professionally embroidered Mayflower logo. 600 denier polyester canvas with 420 denier hobby contrast. Main compartment plus front zippered pocket. 13.75” h x 14” w x 4.25” d. Only $24
The sales of these quality items will benefit our society and will be a great way to show off your Mayflower pride. These would make great gifts for family members. Come to the summer picnic on July 22nd where we will have a limited number of tote bags available for cash and carry. Only $24.
You can redeem your exclusive offer over the phone by calling the NEHGS Member Services Team at 1-888-296-3447 (choose option 1). Be sure to have your 5-digit General Society number at hand so your Mayflower membership can be verified.You can also redeem this offer online by clicking www.americanancestors.org. Click on the “JOIN” box and go to Full Membership then Create A New Account!
MEMBERS RECEIVE:• Full access to over 1.4 BILLION names on AmericanAncestors.org• Subscriptions to the NEHGS quarterly magazine, American Ancestors, and The Register – The Journal of American Genealogy• Discounts on NEHGS publications and services• Free access to the NEHGS Boston research Library• Access to the most exclusive and essential research materials and assistance in family history.
82018 Summer Picnic
The Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution Fife & Drum Corps
Mayflower member, Viren Lemmer, also a member of the Alexander Hamilton Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, and his group of men and women musicians will be performing at the Summer Picnic on Sunday, July 22nd at Kelsey Creek Park in Bellevue.
Summer Picnic at Bellevue’s Kelsey Creek Farm ParkJust a short distance from I-405, this gem of a park feels like an isolated, country woods experience. One might get the impression of time travel as you move from the modern-day reality of the parking lot to the rural, pastoral feel of the early 1900’s (when the farm was built). Two historic barns sit prominently on the crest of a hill, overlooking the shallow valleys to each side. Farm animals are out in the pastures or yards daily. Come by and see them! In the summer, the sounds of songbirds mix with the babbling of Kelsey Creek, creating a relaxing background rhythm. By 11:30 am, meet at the covered picnic shelter, next to parking lot. Greet and have a photo opportunity with a colonial re-enactor. At noon, lunch will be served, catered by Famous Dave’s BBQ.
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Washington State Mayflower Society SummerPicnicRegistrationForm
Sunday,July22,2018KelseyCreekParkinBellevue
410130thPlaceSESocialTime11:45AMLunch12:45PM
Program:TheSons&DaughtersoftheAmericanRevolutionFife&DrumCorps
Directions:TravelingNorthonI-405
TakeExit12–SE8thStreetTurnrightatthelight,gothroughthenextlightunderthetraintrestle.MoveintothemiddlelaneandfollowtheroadthroughthelightatLakeHillsConnectorintotheWilburton
neighborhood.Turnleftatthestopsign–128thAvenueSE
TurnrightoneblockatSE4thPlaceFollowtotheendoftheroadintotheparkinglot.
TravelingSouthonI-405TakeExit12–SE8thStreet
Turnleftatthelight,gothroughthenextlightunderthetraintrestle.MoveintothemiddlelaneandfollowtheroadthroughthelightatLakeHillsConnectorintotheWilburton
neighborhood.Turnleftatthestopsign–128thAvenueSE
TurnrightoneblockatSE4thPlaceFollowtotheendoftheroadintotheparkinglot.
Pleaseprintcurrentinformation
Name _________________________________________________________ WA # ____________________________
Address ___________________________________________ City ________________________ State ____________
Zip _____________ Phone ________________________ Email ____________________________________________
LuncheonMenuSt.LouisStyleribs,countryroastedchicken,potatosalad,Wilburbeans,cornbread,pop,bottledwaterandadessertbuffet.
Member&guestnamesAdult$20.00
Age12-18$10.00
Childunder12FREE!
$
$
$
TotalLuncheonReservations: $
ReturnformwithPayment.MakecheckspayabletotheWashingtonMayflowerSocietyReservationsmustreachTreasurerMarthaMusicbyJuly16th
MarthaMusic–PO BOX 394–Allyn,WA98524-0394Questions:360-275-3457–[email protected]
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Evergreen LogSociety of Mayflower Descendantsin the State of Washington8621 John Dower Rd SW, Lakewood, WA 98499Return Receipt Requested
